How to Create Your College List (Step-by-Step Guide)

A step-by-step guide to building a balanced college list, one of the most important (and most overlooked) parts of the college application process. What I cover: What a college list actually is and why it matters The difference between reach, target, and safety schools How to figure out your academic profile using the Common Data Set The right tools to find schools that fit you How to build a tracking spreadsheet How to cut your list down to a realistic size The most common mistakes students make My college list process: I applied to 20+ schools, including Georgetown (where I'm now a rising sophomore), UVA, Virginia Tech, and the UC schools. Here's exactly how I approached it. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:40 What is a college list and why does it matter? 1:05 Reach, target, and safety schools explained 1:50 My personal college list experience 3:10 Step 1: Determine what you want 4:00 Step 2: Figure out your academic profile 4:32 Step 3: Use the right tools 5:01 Step 4: Build a spreadsheet 5:26 Step 5: Cut it down 5:56 Common mistakes to avoid 6:50 Recap #collegeapps #collegelist #collegeapplication #highschool #collegeadvice